The longer I work on vintage machines, the more I find parts that I need that are no longer available. Sometimes I can get lucky and find something that works. Sometimes we have to “make” them. I thought that this blog is a great place to keep track of successful and even unsuccessful substitutions.
Successful substitutions will help people keep the machines running. Unsuccessful substitutions will at least save you guys some money, by not trying the same thing I did. 😀
The Singer 201-3 is notoriously hard to find parts for. Not the hook, and the spool pin plate parts… the things like the motor wicks, brushes, etc.
Singer says that the Wicks are part # 194490 – they’re the really skinny ones that fit into the “tubes” so will fit other motors too. The parts diagram doesn’t have the wicks on it but they’re much smaller than the ones that fit the FW, 15-91 and 201-2 motors. I’m quite sure I have other motors here too that have the thin tubes to fill. These would be the wicks inside them. The 201-3 I have here is a BAJ3-8 motor. This is a discontinued part.
The Brushes are part #196862 and I found no listing at all for them.
Today I used Singer part HP30135 for the wicks. They were long enough, I could cut one in half and do both tubes, and skinny enough. These are called Hook Wicks, for top mount bobbins.
For the brushes, I used Singer Part.190782, which is for another motor, but the brushes fit just fine into the 201-3 motor.
In other news, I was looking for a frame spring for the bobbin winder on the Singer 115 (shares with the 66 and some Singer 99s) either way, it’s a discontinued number – 15286.
The one from the 201 / 15 is -not- compatible. The springs wind in opposite directions.
Ryan wound one from piano wire and stress relieved it in the oven. It took him a few tries, but we got a working spring out of it. It cost us the same for a bunch of piano wire from a hobby shop as ordering a spring (if I could find one) from ebay or Bonanza. I’m trying to convince him to do a tutorial. 🙂
The 411G and the 431G possibly others come with a weird “bushing” under the spool pins. They look like a weird coral washer about 1/4″ thick. On the 3 machines I’ve had cross my desk here, they were all missing, or destroyed. When I inquired at my supplier, I was told to use featherweight bed cushion part# 45780. They don’t look like they’ll fit, but they do. I’ve done 4 spool pins this way and opted to leave the other 2 because they weren’t -that- bad.
I’ll update this post with any more substitutions I perform.
How about you? Have you had any successes with changing up parts? Any that really did not work?
Hi Tammi, I’ve read a couple of your blog posts now… both were gold!! L
I’m looking for armature shaft grease wicks and springs for a few machines. I see you’ve had success substituting #194490 with #HF30135. I don’t see that PN in my search, but I do see a grease wick #HP30135. Do you know if these are the same?
Also, the more difficult thing to source seems to be the springs #194326. Do you happen to know a place to find these or a good substitute?
Much appreciated,
Tony
Hi Tony! I think you might have caught a typo with the grease wick number. I looked back in my order history and you’re right, I was ordering HP30135. I’ve updated the post
As for the springs, yeah, I don’t have a replacement number for you. Those springs are not the same as anything I’ve come across yet.
I’m glad you’ve been enjoying the posts. 🙂
I’ve found a source for felt wicks – different dimensions. I bought the 3/16″ F1 felt cord but think I should also have 1/8″ on hand because the 3/16″ was tight in the B.R.8S motor I worked on. The smallest quantity to order is 5 ft, and shipping is 3x the price of the order, but it seems to be a good source.
https://www.mcmaster.com/catalog/130/4034/8767K21
Hi KB! Thanks for the recommendation. This is certainly a good option for Americans. For Canada for instance though, it’s only education and businesses. Still, they have an amazing stock range if you can qualify for their shipping restrictions.
Did you and Ryan ever do that spring tutorial?
I have a Singer 66 Red Eye that needs a 15286 spring.
Hi David,
I never did convince him to do it but the basic process is:
1. Form the spring – this youtube video can give you some pointers on that: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zSi0h9CKMSs
2. Stress relieve the metal. If you don’t do this, the metal will want to return to its former shape. The last spring that we had to form and stress relieve went into the oven suspended from the lowest rack at 500F for 1 hour and then the oven is turned off and left it to cool on its own – which usually ends up being overnight because I tend to forget about it.
Where did you order them from?
I am a dealer for SMS Canada – I ordered from there.
Where did you find the HF30135 wick substitution, and 190782 for the brushes? I have done searches on sites I use, and a general search over the internet, but not finding anything. Thanks, Bruce
I ordered them and tested them. They’re not official subs but they work.
I think I need to take a look at my Singer 201K motor. It’s a black cast iron machine, serial number dates it to 1950. I am afraid I will need to rewire it competely if I start taking it appart, messing with old wires etc. I bumped into your blog seaching for info on these parts. Your post is a few years old but just the right info I needed now
:- )
I’m glad it helped you! 🙂